Eastern Europe. Adriatic nations team up to explore spreading marine mystery

Scientists hope that unlocking the mystery of a slimy biomass that sometimes despoils the sparkling blue-green waters of the Adriatic Sea will push open the door to greater international scientific collaboration in the troubled region. The biomass's once-rare appearances have become increasingly frequent in the last decade, making it perhaps the most visible sign of environmental stress in the northern Adriatic. But its growing notoriety may have a silver lining: a major international program to study pollution and other environmental trends in the Adriatic.